The Soul's Preparation for Christ

Again, meditation doth beset the heart of a man, that he cannot escape; wheresoever he is, meditation brings those things to his mind, & the plagues due thereunto; so that he cannot escape the dint thereof. It is the nature of our own hearts that we are loath to read our own destiny, which will be our bane and confusion: meditation calls over the thoughts of a man, tells him the reasons are good, the arguments found, the Scripture plain, thy sins evident: Conscience you know it, therefore heart you must do it, (saith meditation) take heed of drunkenness, saith meditation, you heard what the minister said; these sins are against God, and the wrath of God is gone out against you for these sins, these will be your bane, and will bring you to everlasting destruction. And when meditation ⟨p. 92⟩doth thus yawl at the heart, the mind still musing, and the heart still pondering of sin, at last it is weary, therefore unburdened therewith, the issue of the arguments is this, if meditation brings in sin more powerful, more plainly to the soul; if it be that, which binds and fasteneth it, and settleth it upon the soul; then the point is clear, that serious meditation of sin is a special means to bring a soul to the sight and sorrow for sin.

Againe, meditation doth beset the heart of a man, that he cānot escape; wheresoever he is, meditation brings those things to his minde, & the plagues due thereunto; so that he cannot escape the dint therof. It is the nature of our own hearts that we are loath to read our owne destiny, which will be our bane and confusion: meditation calls over the thoughts of a man, tells him the reasons are good, the arguments found, the Scripture plaine, thy sinnes evident: Conscience you know it, therefore heart you must doe it, (saith meditation) take heed of drunkennesse, saith meditation, you heard what the minister said; these sinnes are against God, and the wrath of God is gone out against you for these sinnes, these will be your bane, and will bring you to everlasting destruction. And when meditation ⟨p. 92⟩doth thus yawle at the heart, the minde still musing, and the heart still pondering of sin, at last it is weary, therefore unburdened therewith, the issue of the argumēts is this, if meditation brings in sin more powerful, more plainely to the soule; if it be that, which binds and fastneth it, and setleth it upon the soule; then the point is cleare, that serious meditation of sinne is a special meanes to bring a soule to the sight and sorrow for sinne.